Pull cord lock



0. T. STALL PULL com) LOCK May 31, 1966 Filed July 15, 1963 INVENTOR.ORVILLE'. T. STALL BY AGENT United States Patent 0 3,253,645 PULL CORDLOCK Jr-ville T. Stall, 7908 Chatfield Ava, Whittier, Calif. Filed July15, 1963, Ser. No. 295,007 4 Claims. (Cl. 160-344) This inventionrelates to a piece of drapery hardware, and is more particularlyconcerned with a novel pull cord lock.

In the drapery art, it is common practice to provide an elongatehorizontally disposed traverse rod, mounting means to support the rod atits end and in fixed spaced relationship from a wall, and above a windowopening therein, a plurality of glides slidably engaged in the rod andto which the upper edges of drapery panels are fixed so as to besupported by the rod and glides to depend therefrom and to occur acrossthe window opening. It is further common practice to provide an elongatepull cord engaged about a sheave in one end of the traverse rod andextending longitudinally through the rod and over and downwardly from aroller at the other end of the rod. The two parallel lengths of cordwithin the rod are fixed to a master carrier related to one (the inner)end of the upper edge of each of the panels in such a manner that bypulling one or the other of the depending end portions of the cord, thedrapery panels and their glides can be shifted longitudinally of therod, into and out of engagement across the window opening. When thepanels are positioned to overlie or cover the window opening, they areextended. When positioned to leave the window open or unobstructed, thepanels are pleated and gathered at the ends of the rod.

The foregoing is typical ofmost present day drapery constructions andinstallations and is well known to all whom are at all familiar withthis art.

In the drapery art, there are several special structures which arebecoming widely used, which structures tend to load, by spring orWeight, the draperies and the pull cords so that the draperies to whichthese cords are related are normally yieldingly urged towards theiropened (gathered) or closed (extended) positions.

One such structure consists of an elongate sinua'te drapery pleaterspring, formed of ribbon steel stock. The pleater spring is engaged inan upper hem in a drapery panel in a tightly gathered or pleatedcondition. The spring ple-ater is provided with suitable means, such aspoles, to facilitate engagement and fixing of the glides thereto.

In such a construction and in other constructions which tend to urge thedraperies to one of their two positions (opened or closed), mean-s mustbe provided to releasably lock and hold the pull cords so that thedraperies can be selectively shifted to a desired posit-ion, eitheropened, closed, or some intermediate position, by pulling the endportions of the cords and so that when the cords are released, they willbe locked or held in such a manner that the forces normally yieldinglyurging the draperies and the cords longitudinally of the traverse rods,will be stopped or effectively overcome.

Several such pull cord lock mean-s have been provided by the prior art.The most familiar of such means is the conventional pull cord lock thatis provided on Venetian blind constructions, which serves to lock andhold the elevator cords thereof in any desired position and serves toprevent the blind construction from dropping, due to its own weight.

These Venetian blind pull cord or elevator cord lock constructions havebeen adopted for use in drapery constructions where it is desired tolook the pull cords, with little or no changes.

A characteristic of pull cord locks provided by the prior 3,253,fi45Patented May 31, 1966 art is that the portions of the cords that areengaged to operate the drapery or blind constructions must be drawn tautand pulled laterally in a pre-determiued manner and direction to releasethe lock means, and must be pulled laterally in another or oppositedirection to lock the said locking means. This requirement is extremelyunsatisfactory as it frequently happens that surrounding structuresestablish obstacles which prevent or make it extremely difiicult to pullthe cords laterally to effect operation of the locking means.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel pull cord locking meanswhich is such that the cord can the pulled from any angle to effectshifting of the cord and the structure related to it.

A further object of my invention is to provide a structure of thecharacter referred to wherein the locking means includes a spring-loadedarm and is related to a roller, a guide and the cord in'such a mannerthat simple tensionin-g of the cord yieldingly releases the lockingmeans and is not affected by the direction in which the manually engagedportions of the cord are pulled.

Another object of this invention is to provide a structure of thecharacter referred to which is extremely easy and economical tomanufacture, and is both highly eifective and dependable in operation.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fullyunderstood from the following detailed description of a typicalpreferred form and application of my invention, throughout whichdescription reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 .is a perspective view of a drapery installation with a pull cordlook as provided by the present invention related thereto;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of my new pull cord lock taken as indicatedby line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view taken as indicated by line $3 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to a portion of the construction shown in FIG.3, showing the parts thereof in another position;

FEG. 5 is a view taken as indicated by line 5-5 on FIG. 2.

The present invention has to do with a pull cord lock A, adapted toengage and re'leasably :hold a pull cord B in fixed position. i

The pull cord lock A that I provide is particularly adapted for use intraverse rod drapery installations, especially where the cords aresubject to forces which normally tend to shift the cords, independentlyof outside or manually applied forces.

In FIG. 1 of the'drawings, I have illustrated a portion of a typicaltraverse rod type drapery installation or construction, whichinstallation includes, basically, a traverse rod R and mounting means Mat the ends of the rod R and secured to a Wall structure W to hold therod in fixed parallel spaced relationship with the Wall. In accordancewith normal construction, the rod R is an elongate horizontally disposedsteel member, substantially C- shaped in cross-section and openingdownwardly.

The drapery installation illustrated further includes a plurality oflongitudinally spaced glides G, slidably engaged in the rods R to dependtherefrom, a pair of drapery panels D having hems H at or along theirupper edges, and elongate sinuate drapery pleaters P of spring steelengaged in the hems H and normally yieldingly urging the draperypanels'into gathered pleated condition. The hems of the drapery panelsand the pleaters related thereto are suitably engaged by the glides G,whereby the drapery panels are suspended from the drapery rods R.

The outer ends of the drapery panels and pleaters, at the ends of therod, are suitably anchored to the ends of the rod (not shown) while theinner ends of the drapery panels and pleaters are fixed to mastercarriers E, which are in the nature of modified glides, slidably carriedby the rod and provided with cord-engaging means (not shown). Since themaster carriers can vary widely in construction and in no way affect thenovelty of this invention, I have only indicated them (see FIG. 1 of thedrawings) in a diagrammatic fashion.

The installation illustrated further includes a sheave S arranged withinthe rod R at one end thereof, the pull cord lock A, as provided by thepresent invention at the other end of the rod R, and the pull cord C,extending upwardly into the lock A, fits longitudinally through the rodR and about the sheave S, thence back to and through the pull cord lockA, and downwardly therefrom. The master carriers E are fixed to thecord, each being fixed to one longitudinally extending portion of thecord within the rod, and so that when the cord is pulled so as to shiftthe said longitudinal portions thereof, within the rod, the mastercarriers-E and the ends of the drapery panels are shifted longitudinallyoutwardly to an open position,

or longitudinally inwardly to a closed position, as circumstancesrequire.

It will be apparent that the resilient pleater engaged in the draperypanels normally yieldingly urges the panels from their closed position,as shown inFIG. 1, to their open position, and so that the pull cordlock A serves to prevent the free shifting of the draper panels, byreleasably holding or gripping the cord C.

The pull cord lock A includes an elongate sheet metal body having aninner end portion 10, substantially C- shaped in cross-section, openingdownwardly and longitudinally inwardly and adapted to slidably engage inits related end of the drapery or traverse rod R as illustrated in FIGS.3 and 5 of the drawings, a downwardly opening U-shaped outer portion 11having a top wall 12 and downwardly projecting laterally spaced sideplates 14 and an elongate end plate 15 depending from the outer end ofthe top wall 12 and provided with guide means G at its lower end.

The guide means G is shown as including a longitudinally inwardlyprojecting, transversely extending flange 16 on the lower end of the endplate. The flange 16 is provided with a pair of laterally spacedcord-engaging openings 17, which openings can, as illustrated, bedressed or finished with suitable grommets 18, to establish smooth,rounded surfaces on which the cord can run.

It will'be apparent that the outer end portion 11of the body is closedat its outer end by the end plate 15, is in open communication with theinner end portion 10 and with the traverse rod R and opens downwardly,towards the means G, which means is spaced below the body.

The side plates 14 are provided with a pair of axially alignedaxle-receiving openings 19 at the forward lower corner portions thereof.An elongate axle pin 20 is engaged through the openings 19 to extendbetween the side plates 14 and to project laterally outwardly therefrom.

An elongate roller 21 is rotatably engaged on the axle pin to extendtransverse the interior of the outer portion 11 of the body.

. The upper side of the roller 21 is substantially tangential with thecentral longitudinal axis of the rod R and the forward portion of thebody, and the outer side thereof is above and is spaced slightly forwardof the guide means G.

, The side plates 14 are further provided with a pair of axially alignedopenings 25 in their lower rear portions and in which a portion of asuitable locking means L is engaged.

. The locking means 11 includes an elongate arm having inner and outerends. The inner end of the arm 30 is provided with an elongate, fiat,transversely extending pivot bar 31 fixed to the arm as by spot welding.The pivot bar has end portions that project laterally from the arm andinto and through the openings 25, to be rotatably or pivotally supportedtherein.

With the relationship of parts set forth above, it will be. apparentthat the. arm 30 occurs between the side plates 14.

The arm 30 normally projects longitudinally inwardly and downwardly andis provided at its outer or free end with a downwardly and thenceinwardly recurvent extension, which extension establishes a rounded,transversely extending cord-engaging cleat 32.

The arm 30 is of suflicient longitudinal extend so that when the arm isin its up or normal longitudinally inwardly and downwardly extendingposition, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 of the drawings, the cleat 32 islongitudinally inward of and below the roller 21 and the arm 30 acts onthe roller, through the cord C engaged therebetween, and as will behereinafter described.

The lock means L further includes a spring means to normally yieldinglyurge the arm to its normal position and towards the roller 21. Thespring means include rat-trap type torsion spring 35 engaged about oneend portion of the pivot bar 31 to occur adjacent the exterior of theside plate 14 related thereto. The spring 35 has one end bent toestablish hooked engagement with the bar and has an extension 36 at itsother end, which extention projects longitudinally outwardly across oralong the surface of the side plate 14 and is engaged on or bearsagainst the outwardly projecting end of the axle 20 projecting from thatside of the body.

The cord C is threaded upwardly through one of the openings 18 of themeans G, across the top of the roller 21, longitudinally through the rodR, about the sheave S, and then back through the rod R over the roller21 and down through the other opening 18 of the means G. The lock meansL occurs longitudinally outwardly of the two portions of the cord C thatdepend from the roller and enter the openings 18. The cleat 32 on theouter end of the arm 30 engages the portions of the cord extendingbetween the roller and the guide means and, by or through the action ofthe spring 35, normally yieldingly urges the said portions of the cordlongitudinally inwardly about the roller, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and5 of the drawings, and so that the said portions of the cord areyieldingly held in pressure engagement on the roller by the arm 30. Itwill be apparent that the said portions of the cord extending betweenthe roller and the guide means travel in opposite directions-when theconstruction is operated, that is, when one of said portions movesupwardly, the other moves downwardly.

As a result of the above, the roller 21, when acted upon uniformly bythe means L and through the said portions of the pull cord, does notturn, but rather is stationary. When, however, one portion of the cordis pulled and moved, the other portion thereof is completely unstressed,as a result of the inherent elasticity in or of the cord, and the rollerdoes turn with the portion of the cord being urged to move.

As a result of the above, and since the roller does not normally rotate,but is held against rotation by the two portions of the cord C engagedabout it and by the arm 30 urging the cords into engagement with theroller, it will be apparent that the roller normally is in the nature ofa cleat and that the portions of the cord C, when held against and aboutthe roller are-suitably locked and held against undesired shifting.

When one of the end portions of the cord C, below and depending from thepull cord lock, is tensioned and pulled, the portion of the cordextending between the roller and guide means is straightened andyieldingly urges the cleat 32 and the arm 30 of the means L downwardlyand longitudinally upwardly against the resistance of the spring 36, asclearly illustrated in FIG. 4 0f the drawings.

When the means L is thus shifted, the two portions of the cord C are nolonger held in pressure-engagement against the roller, so as to lock orhold the roller against rotation, and the roller is free to rotate withthat portion 5. of the cord being moved and relative to the otherportion of the cord not being acted upon.

The only resistance afforded to the movement of the cord, when theconstruction is being operated and as illustrated in FIG. 4 of thedrawings, is the frictional resistance between the portion of the cordbeing directly acted upon and moved tangentially across the surface ofthe cleat 32.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that with the pull cord lockconstruction that I provide, the portions of the pull cord which dependfrom the guide means G can be pulled downwardly and laterally in anydirection and that the operation of the locking means is in no wayaffected by the direction in which the cord is pulled.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the detailsherein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any modifications and/orvariations that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall withinthe scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A drapery pull cord lock engageable with a traverse rod to guide andreleasably hold parallel end portions of a pull cord extendinglongitudinally outwardly from one end of the rod and in engagementabouta sheave within the rod, remote from said one end thereof including, anelongate body engageable with the end of a traverse rod, a transverselyextending roller carried by the body to occur below and to engageparallel end portions of a pull cord extending from within the traverserod, guide means carried by the body in fixed spaced relationship belowthe roller and guiding the said end portions of the cord longitudinallyoutwardly and downwardly about the upper and outer quadrant of theroller, and locking means including an elongate normally longitudinallyinwardly and downwardly inclined spring-loaded arm having an upper endpivotally connected to the body longitudinally outward of the roller anda lower end portion normally extending longitudinally inwardly betweenthe roller and the guide means to frictionally engage and to urgethe'portions of the cord related thereto into engagement about the outerlower quadrant of the roller.

2. A drapery pull cord lock engageable with a traverse rod to guide andreleasably hold parallel end portions of a pull cord extendinglongitudinally from one end of the rod and in engagement about a sheavewithin the rod remote from said one end including, an elongate bodyengageable with the end of a traverse rod, a transversely extendingroller carried by the body to occur below and to engage parallel endportions of a pull cord extending from within the traverse rod, guidemeans defining cord receiving apertures carried by the body in fixedspaced relationship below the roller and receiving and guiding the saidend portions of the cord downwardly about the upper outer quadrant ofthe roller, and locking means including an elongate normallylongitudinally inwardly and downwardly inclined spring-loaded arm havingan upper end pivotally connected to the body longitudinally outward ofthe roller and lower end portion extending longitudinally inwardly belowthe roller to slidably frictionally engage and urge the portions of thecord related thereto into engagement about the outer lower quadrant ofthe roller outer end portion of the arm being turned downwardly andlongitudinally outwardly to establish a round cord-engaging cleat.

3. A drapery pull cord lock including, an elongate body having asubstantially C-shaped longitudinally inwardly and downwardly openinginner portion adapted to be slidably engaged in one end of a traverserod substantially C-shaped in cross-setcion, a downwardly openingU-shaped outer section having a top wall, downwardly extending,laterally spaced side plates depending from the side edges of the topwall, and an elongate vertically disposed end plate depending from theouter end of the top wall, an elongate roller pivotally carried by andextending between the inner lower portions of the side plates to occurbelow and to support the end portions of a pull cord continuinglongitudinally outward from within the traverse rod, guide meansincluding a longitudinally inwardly projecting horizontal tab with cordreceiving apertures carried by the lower end of the end plate in fixedspaced relationship below the roller to receive and guide the said endportions of the pull cord about the upper outer quadrant of the rollerand thence downwardly, and locking means carried by the outer portion ofthe body longitudinally outward of the roller and yieldingly urging theportions of the cord extending between the roller and the guide meansaxially inwardly into pressure engagement with the outer lower quadrantof the roller and out of alignment with the apertures'of the guidemeans.

4. A drapery pull cord lock including, an elongate body having asubstantially C-shaped longitudinally inwardly and downwardly openinginner portion adapted to be slidably engaged in the end of a C-shapedtraverse rod, a downwardly opening U-shaped outer section having a topwall, downwardly extending laterally spaced side plates depending fromthe side edges of the top wall, and an elongate vertically disposed endplate depending from the outer end of the top wall, an elongate rollerpivotally carried by and extending between the inner lower portions ofthe side plates to engage below and to support the end portions of apull cord continuing longitudinally outward from within the transverserod, guide means including a horizontally disposed member with cordreceiving apertures carried by the lower end of the end plate in fixedspaced relationship below the roller to guide the said end portions ofthe pull cord downwardly about the upper outer quadrant of the rollerand thence downwardly, and locking means including a pivot bar pivotallycarried by and extending between the side plates longitudinally outwardand below the axis of the roller, a longitudinally inwardly anddownwardly inclined arm fixed to the bar, and spring means between thebody and the bar to normally rotate the bar and pivot the armlongitudinally inwardly and upwardly into frictionally engagement withthe portions of the cord extending between the roller and the guidemeans to urge said portions of the cord longitudinally inwardly intopressure engagement about the outer lower quadrant of the roller and outof alignment with the apertures of the guide means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 20,13310/1936 Kuyper. 358,125 2/1887 Pittman. 2,041,892 5/1936 Wiener et a1.2,901,037 8/1959 Yohner et a1. 348 X 2,989,120 6/1961 Judkins 160126 X3,111,163 11/1963 Nelson 160-115 X r CHARLES E. OCONNELL, PrimaryExaminer.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Examiner.

P. C. KANNAN, Assistant Examiner.

1. A DRAPERY PULL CORD LOCK ENGAGEABLE WITH A TRAVERSE ROD TO GUIDE ANDRELEASABLY HOLD PARALLEL END PORTIONS OF A PULL CORD EXTENDINGLONGITUDINALLY OUTWARDLY FROM ONE END OF THE ROD AND IN ENGAGEMENT ABOUTA SHEAVE WITHIN THE ROD, REMOTE FROM SAID ONE END THEREOF INCLUDING, ANELONGATE BODY ENGAGEABLE WITH THE END OF A TRAVERSE ROD, A TRANSVERSELYEXTENDING ROLLER CARRIED BY THE BODY TO OCCUR BELOW AND TO ENGAGEPARALLEL END PORTIONS OF A PULL CORD EXTENDING FROM WITHIN THE TRAVERSEROD, GUIDE MEANS CARRIED BY THE BODY IN FIXED SPACED RELATIONSHIP BELOWTHE ROLLER AND GUIDING THE SAID END PORTIONS TO THE CORD LONGITUDINALLYOUTWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY ABOUT THE UPPER AND OUTER QUADRANT OF THEROLLER, AND LOCKING MEANS INCLUDING AN ELONGATE NORMALLY LONGITUDINALLYINWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY INCLINED SPRING-LOADED ARM HAVING AN UPPER ENDPIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE BODY LONGITUDINALLY OUTWARD OF THE ROLLER ANDA LOWER END PORTION NORMALLY EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY INWARDLY BETWEENTHE ROLLER AND THE GUIDE MEANS TO FRICTIONALLY ENGAGE AND TO URGE THEPORTIONS OF THE CORD RELATED THERETO INTO ENGAGEMENT ABOUT THE OUTERLOWER QUADRANT OF THE ROLLER.